(a) Any judge, receiver, or trustee having reasonable grounds for believing that any violation under chapter 9 of this title or other laws of the United States relating to insolvent debtors, receiverships or reorganization plans has been committed, or that an investigation should be had in connection therewith, shall report to the appropriate United States attorney all the facts and circumstances of the case, the names of the witnesses and the offense or offenses believed to have been committed. Where one of such officers has made such report, the others need not do so.
(b) The United States attorney thereupon shall inquire into the facts and report thereon to the judge, and if it appears probable that any such offense has been committed, shall without delay, present the matter to the grand jury, unless upon inquiry and examination he decides that the ends of public justice do not require investigation or prosecution, in which case he shall report the facts to the Attorney General for his direction.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645,
Based on section 52(e)(1), (2) of title 11, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Bankruptcy (July 1, 1898, ch. 541, §29e(1), (2), as added by May 27, 1926, ch. 406, §11,
Remaining provisions of section 52 of title 11, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Bankruptcy, constitute sections 151–154, and 3284 of this title.
The words "or laws relating to insolvent debtors, receiverships, or reorganization plans" were inserted to avoid reference to "Title 11".
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
This section [section 48] clarifies the meaning of section 3057 of title 18, U.S.C., by expressly limiting to laws "of the United States", violations of laws which are to be reported to the United States attorney.
1978-Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
1949-Subsec. (a). Act May 24, 1949, substituted "or other laws of the United States" for "or laws".
Amendment by
Amendment by
Functions of all other officers of Department of Justice and functions of all agencies and employees of such Department, with a few exceptions, transferred to Attorney General, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or performance of any of his functions by any of such officers, agencies, and employees, by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1950, §§1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3173,